The Promise
by lovelytraces123
Summary: Angel gets kidnapped by vampires. Jake starts having strange visions of a girl kidnapped by one of his vampire enemies and will soon learn the promise his father made to a family friend. Jake must decide whether to uphold the promise and save the girl...and perhaps find more than he bargained for...or break the promise and have this girl's blood on his hands.
1. Chapter 1

(Author's Note: Hey everyone, this is my first time publishing on here! Please review so that I will know whether or not to continue it! Hope you enjoy)

Angel moaned and slowly opened her eyes, touching her head where the pain pounded with every beat of her heart. Her hand came away with blood and she could feel that some of it had dried on the side of her face. The memories came rushing back of meeting someone in an alleyway—someone who had spoken strangely to her, commanding her to go with him. She had refused and he had smashed her head against the brick wall knocking her unconscious. Angel scanned her surroundings instead, noticing that the room looked as though it had not been used in a while. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, dust covered the one table and dresser found in the room, and the windows were so dirty that the light was diluted. She half rolled, half fell to the floor beside the bed she had been lying on and shakily got to her feet, stumbling to the door. It was locked—big surprise. Just then she heard footsteps. They stopped outside of the door and it slowly swung open to reveal a dark shadow man. She stepped back but the man came closer and in the semi-light she saw that it was the same one from the alley. The wall was right behind her and he came within a few inches of her.

"Who are you?" she stammered.

He chuckled, "Someone who is very interested in you my dear. You couldn't be compelled…that makes you quite special. I can only imagine how you must taste."

Her eyes widened. What was he talking about?!

"I'd tell you not to be afraid but that wouldn't work now would it?" He held her arm with one hand and with the other he gripped her chin turning her face so that the bloodied side was facing him. "You're going to be my little plaything until my brother gets here and decides what to do about you. I'm sure it won't be kind though, so don't get your hopes up. Now," he murmured leaning over her, "please stand still." She felt him lick the blood on the side of her face and a small startled gasp escaped as she squirmed and struggled. Now both hands held her arms in painful vice-like grips as his lips moved down to her neck and then all of the sudden she felt as though large needles had stabbed her. She cried out, writhing in pain. This couldn't be happening. It had to be some sort of horrible nightmare, but the pain and feeling of being very much awake told her otherwise. She began to feel weak and her struggling slowed. Her eyesight blurred and she again succumbed to unconsciousness.

Thatch released his teeth from the girl and licked the dripping blood from her neck before he picked her up and put her back on the bed. He hated messiness—something his older brother always made fun of him for. She tasted amazing. Everything about her made him exhilarated. The way she struggled beneath him, her gasping breaths, and of course her blood. He hated that he had to stop, but he had to keep her alive. Oh well, he was looking forward to the next time he could drink from her…and she would be awake again.

"No!" Jake yelled and sat up in bed, realizing he had fallen asleep. He looked across the room to where his friend sat at a desk reading. He flew across the room and jerked him out of the chair, pinning him against the wall. "That was sick even for you Gabe."

"What are you talking about?"

"The dream. Why would you bring Thatch and Riker into it? And you know how I feel about feeding on humans!"

Gabe's face was blank, "I didn't control your dream, Jake. Now get off before I hurt you." Jake loosened his grasp and Gabe shoved away from him. He sat back down at the desk but turned to face Jake who returned to the bed. "So what's this about a dream? You do realize we aren't supposed to be having dreams unless interfered with by another vampire…"

"Of course I know that! And knowing how much you like to interfere with my life in that department I thought it was you."

"I almost wish I could take credit for it with as much as it has you riled up. But alas, I cannot, so do share the details."

Jake got up and paced the room, silent for a moment, "There was this girl…she woke up on this bed in a dark room somewhere," as soon as he said that he wished he had left it out.

Gabe's eyes widened and a smile crept over his face, "Oohh, so Jake is having sexy dreams. Was she hot?"

"Gabe, this isn't a joke!"

"I'm merely curious."

Jake ignored him and continued, "Thatch walked into the room and said something about how she couldn't be compelled and that he was going to have her until Riker came and decided what to do with her. Then he drank her blood but not enough to kill her."

"She couldn't be compelled? But every human is able to be compelled."

"Must you insist on stating what I already know? He seemed unsure of it himself, like he didn't know why she couldn't be compelled."

"Hmmm…well now that is interesting."

Jake studied his "friend" for a moment…more like the enemy he couldn't get rid of. He and Gabe had a long…_very long_…history. They had been best friends but Gabe always had a desire for danger. He had gotten the both of them turned into vampires and Jake had never quite forgiven him. But it wasn't just that, it was that Gabe had more or less "turned off" his human side and become an even worse version of himself. What Jake had been able to stand before in his personality became unbearable and inhumane. Gabe had no problem drinking blood from humans, luring women and compelling them so he could mess around, etc. It wasn't that Jake was perfect but he had retained much of his human side and now refused to drink the blood of humans. He hunted animals now instead, and whereas it was no comparison to human blood and he was considerably weaker, he could at least refrain from adding to his conscience anymore black deeds.

Angel woke up some time later feeling groggy and disoriented. Her neck hurt and her brain was running a hundred miles an hour trying to grasp what she had just experienced. He had drank her blood! She hadn't seen fangs but then again she hadn't really gotten the chance to. There was a bathroom attached to this room so she made her way slowly to the open door, wiped off a small section and gasped. Not only was her reflection a sorry sight to behold but there on her neck was a circular mark where she had been bitten…resembling closely with what the movies portrayed as a vampire mark. Her stomach growled just then and she realized she was famished. She hadn't eaten since breakfast and it had been late afternoon when she had been attacked. She could tell from the changing light that it was quickly becoming dark outside. She tried the switch in the bathroom and low and behold one of the light bulbs came on with a weak glow. Thankful that she at least had this, she turned it off to save it for when it was really dark and decided to try the bedroom light. Unfortunately she did not have the same luck with it or the one in the closet. Footsteps approached from outside the room and she scurried to the bed and sat on the edge.

Thatch came in with a plate and cup. "Your dinner is served." Angel eyed the food suspiciously as she took it from him. "It's not poisoned if that's what you're thinking."

She weighed the pros and cons quickly of possibly eating poisoned food versus _being_ the food and decided to take the risk. She ate slowly at first and then faster as her hunger kicked in.

"Now, let's try this again…just so I know that I told my brother correctly before he gets here and rips my head off for being wrong." He knelt down in front of her and gazed into her eyes, "Lay down."

Angel blinked. Was she supposed to feel different? She didn't and she didn't feel a strong urge to lay down either…thankfully, what was she, a dog? Lay down…yeah right. Realization dawned on her…vampires compelled people and she couldn't be compelled. But why? She doubted that her foster parents believed in vampires and secretly laced their drinks with vervane…an herb that kept vampires from being able to drink your blood or compel you—at least according to _Vampire Diaries_. Plus, the fact that he had obviously enjoyed her blood ruled the vervane in her system theory out. She shivered thinking of it.

"Good; glad to see I wasn't wrong.

"What do you want with me?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady so as to not sound scared.

"Oh, it's not what I want; it's what my brother wants." He grinned coyly. "You're a half-breed if I am correct, which makes you very special."

"A…a half-breed?"

"Half human, half vampire."

"What?!" Angel couldn't keep the shrillness out of her voice. She backed up on the bed as he came closer, the water Thatch had brought her spilling on the blankets and wetting her.

He knocked the cup and sent it flying across the room with supernatural force as he got on the bed and leaned over her. "Here," he raised his wrist to his mouth, bit it, and then grabbed her hair forcing her face up as he brought his now bloody wrist to her mouth, making her drink his blood.

Whereas it didn't taste bad to her, she was disgusted at the fact of drinking someone else's blood and spit out what she could when he withdrew his hand. Not to mention how many diseases he might have…did vampires get diseases? She shook her head. All of this was too unreal. Thatch just grinned at her. "Well?"

"Get away from me," she emphasized each word and then kicked him in the stomach and away from her. His momentary surprise gave her time to jump off the bed and start running for the door that would be unlocked now. But he was too fast. Obviously the fast speed part was true too. He caught her, grabbed her around the waist and threw her back on the bed. But instead of the anger she expected to see, she saw amusement.

"You're fiery. I like that." He grabbed her left arm and pulled it to his lips, his teeth entering her veins. She grit her teeth and only a soft moan of pain escaped her this time. He drank until he saw her eyes flutter closed.

"Jake. Jake!" Gabe slapped his friend's face withdrawing him from a trance-like state. "Dude, what is going on with you?!"

"It's her again. That same girl with Thatch. He said she's a half-breed and that Riker wants something to do with her."

"Well that's peculiar. But seriously though, you need to figure out what's going on because this is getting kind of disturbing. You just totally zoned out there."

"_You_ think it's disturbing? Try being the one experiencing it." Jake muttered.

"Maybe your father has something in his extensive library. I always found it a bit useless, but hey, who knows?"


	2. Chapter 2

(AN: Thanks to my first reviewer for your positive feedback and for bringing to my attention the confusion! I apologize about that! I had lines in to separate when the views switched but when it published they did not get put in. So now I will write POV to represent when there is a change in the point of view)

Gabe and Jake stepped into the library and took a deep breath at how overwhelming this task could be. Jake's father had been a major book collector and when you have someone who has lived for more than 500 years, well, let's just say you acquire a lot of books.

"Alright, I'll start on this side, you start over there." Jake said pointing to the right side of the room." Surprisingly Gabe actually did as he was told without a sarcastic retort.

Jake looked in his father's desk and found nothing useful but a strange slip of paper with his father's handwriting that said: _The Promise, July 1, 1997_. What was that supposed to mean? He went to work on the bookcase, mulling it over in his mind. They had been working for close to three hours when Gabe suddenly said, "Hey, I think I found something!"

Jake flew to his side of the room. In one of his father's journals was a picture of his father, William, and a little blonde girl who looked to be about 2. Jake could pick out similarities between this girl and the one in his visions. He grabbed the journal that Gabe was holding and looked at the date: _July 1, 1997_. This had to be it! He began reading out loud what his father had written out,

_July 1, 1997 _

_A very sad day today. Thomas's wife, Suzanne, was killed by Riker. It's only a matter of time before he goes after Angel again. Thomas made me promise that if anything happens to him that I will watch over Angel. Of course I agreed and we had a witch come up with a potion I could drink so that if Angel is ever in trouble and there is no one to protect her, then I will see what is happening. It is a life-long promise until the day I decide to drink the spell stopper, which will take the visions and responsibility away. But I know that I never shall. I care about her almost as if she were my own and my loyalty to Thomas and Suzanne binds me to this promise. _

_Jake, if you are reading this then it means something happened to me and that likely, Angel is in trouble. I transferred the spell to you to carry out my promise to Thomas. It is your choice whether you decide to carry it out. If you should choose not to, then the cure is in my secret safe. But please think about it seriously before you choose not to. If you end the spell and Angel ends up captured by Riker, there will be grave danger, not only for her but for everyone who goes against him. She is the daughter of a vampire father and a human mother. Because she is a half-breed, many will want to harm her. You see, if a vampire were to unite with her and she were to bear a child, the father could sacrifice the child on the Silver Moon Table and become the strongest vampire ever known to mankind. I don't have to tell you how serious that would be if Riker should do this. On the other hand, certain witches who would love to see this power destroyed could offer the blood of the half-breed on that table and destroy that spell forever. Angel is not safe. They will figure out who she is…some, I'm sure, already know. It is up to you now, Jake. I'm so sorry for the responsibility I have placed on you, but I saw no other way. _

Jake stared at the journal even after he finished reading it, trying to swallow everything he had just learned. Gabe stood unusually quiet as well. He finally broke the silence, "So…what are you going to do?"

"Well, I don't have much choice now do I? We both know what it would mean if Riker were to become the most powerful vampire. He has no mercy and does not care who he hurts. I have to go save her."

"So we are off to see a girl you never met and have no idea where she is."

"I've met her."

Gabe looked at him, shocked, "What?!"

"I forgot and didn't realize it until just now, looking at this picture. I met her when she was about 8. I was home visiting and my father had company. She was playing in one of the rooms and I'm sure that they thought she was safe, but I heard a scream when I was walking down the hallway. I ran into the room and there was a werewolf holding her. I attacked him, not knowing who she was and managed to scare him off…" he trailed off, not mentioning how she had clung to him when he had her in his arms before handing her to Thomas who had entered the room with his father.

"Wow," Gabe whistled. "It's like you were destined for each other."

"Shut up, Gabe." Jake's eyes shot anger at him. He had no intention of falling for anyone right now. He had forever to do that. Literally. This was simply a job. He would get it done and be on his merry way.

A sudden wave of dizziness overcame him and he grabbed one of the bookcases to steady himself.

"Jake?" Gabe questioned.

Jake held up a hand to stop his questions, realizing he was going to have another vision and that he seemed to have more control over it this time.

Angel's POV

Angel awakened, this time feeling weaker than the last time. Her throat was dry and she realized she hadn't drank much of the water Thatch had brought her. Looking around, she noticed the cup was still on the floor where he had knocked it to. She clumsily went over and picked it up before stumbling to the bathroom and turning the water on. She let it run for a while first since it hadn't been used in a while and looked it from the weird coloring. When it at last ran clear and was a decent cool temperature she filled her glass and took a sip. It was not good water but she forced herself to drink it so she wouldn't dehydrate. She was always paranoid about that ever since it had happened to her one day at school and she'd had to spend the rest of the day in the nurse's office. She went back to the bed, setting the cup on the nightstand beside it. She felt tired just from that little excursion. How much blood could a vampire take and the human still be functional? The door opened then, and Angel had the feeling she was going to find out.

Thatch strutted in and came to where she was lying on the bed. "I'm sorry love. You just taste so good that I had a hard time stopping myself last time…took a little more than I meant to." He put a hand on her cheek but she turned away from him. "Don't worry this will be the last time," he grinned mischievously down at her, making it hard to believe. He bent close to her neck, his breath sending goose bumps all over her body.

"Wh…what if you c…can't stop?" she suttered.

He let out a low chuckle. "Oh, I'll stop. Because as good as you taste, my brother's wrath is not worth drinking you completely." He inserted his fangs into her neck and she quickly succumbed to darkness.

Jake's POV

He knew it was time to get to her. He just wasn't sure how. He closed his eyes, trying to stay in the vision even after Angel lost consciousness. He managed and was able to look around. He viewed the outside of the house, memorizing what it looked like, and then tried to find something around that would give him a clue as to where she was located. Off to the distance he saw a tall white church steeple. Recognition slammed into him and his contact with the vision shattered.

"Well?" Gabe asked, demanding details with that one word.

"Church steeple…"

"Yeah, there's only a million of those." Gabe retorted.

"No, I know this one. Where is it…?" He racked his brain for the answer and logged onto his computer. He pulled up churches in the surrounding area and found it. It was two cities over. "She's somewhere near there."

"Great job, Sherlock. Now what do we do? Just walk in and take her?"

"Look, I'm a little new to this too, OK? Nobody said you have to help."

"Hey, I'm not going to let my best buddy die trying to save the world from impending doom. I'm coming. Is there a window in her room?"

"Yes." Jake had already considered that as their way in. Plus, it was in the front of the house so he was pretty sure that once he saw the house he could figure out which one it was.

They grabbed a couple of things to take with them and then set out for the rescue.


End file.
